Chapter 7 The Voice

I was dumbstruck, what the hell just happened? I stood there like an idiot I'm. I tried to call after her " amma Ji (aunty), I'm here for Anwar".

silence...

"I'm Amma sai's grandson, Shameer".

more silence...

turn back, it's humiliating( the inner voice in me taunting).

I stood there swallowing my pride.

but she wasn't opening that door, I turned my back as I was about to leave, and she opened the door.

"what do you want now", she was furious, her eyes blazing at me.

" I'm here to meet Anwar, is he home", I tried to ignore her furious gaze. she started coughing, and her hand slipped from the door handle, I moved quickly to steady her. we stepped inside and sat down on the nearby chair.

" she drank some water and asked me to leave.

" I'll leave once you tell me about Anwar I have something important to tell him". she looked at me like I'd lost my mind which was kinda true.

because I've never meddled in someone else affairs, but I had this crippling sensation whenever I thought about minding my own business and not thinking about others at all.

" he is not here, he went to college and then will look for some other place to work. we cannot afford his education", with that she dried her eyes as if hiding her tears from me.

"what are we to say anything, Amma sai is the one making all these decisions without looking at its consequences", she sounded so broken.

" I'll help Anwar to get a job, I know you're worried and sick you just have to take care of your self and trust me I'll make everything right".

she looked at me like I've grown two heads, " what are you going to do against your grandmother, your grandfather died looking after his people. she hates us that is for sure, and was always mad at him for being kind. now she is in the power of us all and controls our lives like puppets".

I felt so ashamed of my grandmother, she was doing worse than I imagined. it was the first time someone had talked that much about my grandfather. he was a legend among these people. but even he couldn't control her real intentions.

" your grandmother had everything, loving husband and son but she never seemed to be grateful for how blessed she was, she had everything but she ruined it". she continued without looking up.

" I'll try my best amma Ji to bring my grandfather's legacy back you will see better days soon". I said with determination, I know when I put my mind to something no one can stop me. not even my grandmother who seemed like an unexpected villain.

" These poor people are simple, and mostly the simple people are the ones that suffer from the cruelty of the rich and powerful".

I thought coming here was just to take my mind off of my tiring life and just to sign the property papers, but destiny had different plans for me. And I'm the kind of person that highly believes in destiny, the signs suggest so!

I started roaming around the village looking at things from a very different angle now, and now that I was determined in my plan I felt a lot lighter than before.

I started heading towards the haveli, I looked at the sky which was turning dark by the minute the sun was setting, tomorrow would be a new day I hoped.

As I reached Havel The sun was set the air was crisp and a little chill, no matter how many times I looked at it, it was always darker around whenever I looked at it tall and intimidating. Was the darkness inside me that made me feel like it? Or was there something about the Havel?

I padded towards my room I was not in the mood to face dado right now, peering at the other end of the long corridor no one was there. I started moving upstairs when I heard a whisper, I looked down carefully Tara was talking to someone from the other side of the Haveli which was not in a very good condition the cracks in the walls told a story of their own.

I could only see her back a shadow was looming over her, squinting in the dark I tried to see who she was talking to. She handed the tray to him and started to move towards dado's room I waited for a few beats, and she emerged back from the room.

" Tara", I called after her she looked up as soon as she spotted me her face went pale as If she has seen a ghost.

She stood there frozen unable to move.

"Who was there at the other side of the haveli, shouldn't you be sleeping right now?

" What did you see, she asked eyes widening".

" well, that's suspicious shouldn't you be answering me, Tara, I cocked my head to the side and studied her with interest".

" h.he was the guard, uhh I was just giving him his tray of food, she was stammering which didn't help my suspicion".

" you sure?"

She seemed like she was about to faint right here.

She nodded her head multiple times, she was a terrible liar, and I let it go for now. Also, she seemed petrified of me.

I padded my way upstairs, went into the bathroom, and had a hot long shower, washing away the worries that seemed to be settled within me.

I don't know what time of night it was I jolted upright, the shadow standing in the middle of my room facing right at me. I slowly rise from the bed blinking my eyes rapidly, trying to sweep the shadow in front of me.

Maybe I'm dreaming, I raised fully now the shadow moved slowly across the room and disappeared.

My heart thundering in my chest, the only sound in the room I was breathing too loudly now almost panting. But for once I was intrigued by what the shadow was doing in my room it is no longer my imagination I legit see this every day.

And I think I know what I'm going to do tonight.

I went outside the haveli the guards We're trying hard not to sleep.

I started my way towards the old haveli I know what that dark shadow was trying to show me all these days and I kept blocking it away. But not anymore I'm too curious to just let it go and discuss it with anyone else.

As the old haveli came into the view the shadow was standing right there at the main gate as if waiting for me.

I started sweating a cold sweat... and a strange pull that I felt at that time.

"What do you want from me", I called at the shadow. Of course, it didn't answer me. As I reached closer I heard a voice!

A voice is so sweet that it seemed like it was dripping the sweetest honey Found in the furthest peaks of a mountain.

A voice that I craved so badly that I wanted to hear it all my life and never get bored, a voice that belonged to someone close so close to my heart that it started bleeding.

I stood there frozen.

"Babu! Babu!, is that you" I heard a gasp similar to shock.

I turned slowly and looked behind me at the source of the voice and went limp when I saw her, saw the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my entire life.